1. Technical Field
The present invention concerns an article of clothing, especially disposable clothing for one-time use, comprising at least one primary inelastic layer or a soft, flexible, and plastic material, a layer of an elastic material, which covers at least a partial segment of at least one of the inelastic segments, and is connected to the inelastic layer for the purpose of forming an elastic element, in which a plurality of incisions, preferably arranged in rows, are made into the inelastic layer where it overlaps with the elastic layer.
2. Prior Art
In order to ensure a secure and comfortable fit, with articles of clothing, particularly disposable or single-use diapers for children or incontinent individuals, the articles of clothing must include elastic segments, at least in the vicinity of a band that is placed around the hips and stomach. This also applies to the elastic sections in the legs and arms of single-use clothing.
Disposable diapers known in the art published international patent applications (WO 94/05241, WO 93/25171; WO 92/22274; WO 92/22273) include an elastic element or elastic zone, located in the part of the band located near adhesive strips used for closure, which contains a layer made of elastic material. This layer is sandwiched between a liquid-proof foil and a fleece layer, and is connected to these two materials.
To ensure that the inelastic but plastic foil and the fleece, which is also inelastic but plastic, can conform to the elastic zone of the elastic layer without substantially affecting the expansion of the elastic layer, the foil, the elastic layer, and the fleece are mechanically stressed together, so that the two inelastic but plastic layers are forcefully over-stretched and consequently lengthened in the vicinity of the elastic layer, as well as being connected to the elastic layer.
This is intended to create an elastic zone in which the over-stretched inelastic materials are virtually no longer capable of preventing elastic expansion of the elastic material. However, this makes it difficult to stretch the inelastic layers, i.e., the foil and the fleece, in such a targeted manner that they are capable of allowing for the correct degree of expansion when subsequent expansion of the elastic zone is desired. Another difficulty consists in maintaining the elasticity of the elastic layer in spite of its overexpansion or in adjusting the desired degree of expandability.
In a diaper known in the art under U.S. Pat. No. 4,371,066, external slits are included in the waist area on both sides of the diaper to increase diaper elasticity in that area. Openings form when the material is expanded.